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Successful 1st edition of the FTI Business Night

We’re looking back on a successful first edition of our FTI Business Night, held at the stunning Valke Vleug winery. The evening featured the launch of Elli and the announcement of the partnership with Golazo Energy.

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With an audience of about 50 executives from leading companies, the evening was filled with inspiring presentations, engaging conversations, and a clear sense of momentum to make ‘open’ data innovation a reality.  

 

Introducing Elli

At the FTI Business Night, Flanders Technology & Innovation proudly unveiled its very first initiative: Elli – Energy Level & Lifestyle Initiative.

 

Elli redefines how we understand and manage our energy levels, combining data from diverse areas of life: physical, mental, social, and professional. By analyzing this information, Elli helps to unlock maximum energy for what truly matters, boosting productivity at work while enhancing people’s personal lives.

 

What sets Elli apart? It’s not just an app that helps people thrive; it’s also a proactive guardrail. By identifying early warning signs when energy dips too low, Elli helps prevent burnout before it starts.

 

Developed in collaboration with our new partner Golazo Energy, Elli is a data-driven initiative designed to create healthier, more energized workplaces.

 

Want to contribute to Elli by providing data points, innovative ideas, or expertise? Or would you like to use Elli in your organization? Click here to learn more.  

 

Inspiring keynotes

Before enjoying networking opportunities over dinner, several inspiring speakers took the stage.

 

Simon Gheysen, Chief of Staff to Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele, emphasized the power of combining Economy, Innovation & Industry, Foreign Affairs, and Digitalization to drive progress in our region. “Flanders Technology and Innovation has our full support to help realize our ambitions.”

 

Frank Hamerlinck, CEO of FTI, highlighted FTI’s journey to engage stakeholders, inspire through events like the biennial festival, and build the FTI Alliance, a B2B community focused on transformative projects and unlocking the potential of data. “FTI stands for ‘Involve. Inspire. Innovate.’”

Stefaan Verhulst, Co-founder of the Data Tank and The GovLab (New York University), stressed the importance of reusing data for driving innovation. “We focus so much on preventing the misuse of data that we overlook its potential for reuse. The opportunity lies in reusing non-traditional data for the public interest. That’s why I’m so enthusiastic about FTI – they are making strides toward solving big problems for the greater good.”

 

Dado Van Peteghem, Co-founder of Speakersbase, Social Seeder, and The Future Club, explained why communities are essential in a data-driven world: “Collaboration is the new competition. Every organization’s dataset is too small to go it alone, so the organization of the future is built on Tech & Trust.”

 

Building on momentum: join the FTI Alliance

FTI is calling on companies to join the FTI Alliance, a growing community of forward-thinking organizations committed to innovation through data sharing. The Alliance simplifies data collaboration, empowering partners to develop groundbreaking solutions.

 

The Business Night clearly demonstrated the willingness to take the first steps and to unite as Forward Thinkers, enabling innovation in our region.

 

We’re already looking forward to next events – stay tuned for updates!